Thursday, April 30, 2009

To Market, to Market...

This weekend I will be heading to the Flint Farmer's Market, an open-air venue that is rich in history. Dating back to the early 1900s, it is recognized as one of the finest public markets in Southeast Michigan. This year, in addition to fine breads, wine, and produce, the Market has expanded to include a Marketplace with arts and antiques. I will be there with my wares, and hope to see you! For more information, click the link below:

http://www.flintfarmersmarket.com/

Friday, April 24, 2009

Poet's Notions...

I am so excited to be starting my Poet's Notions line... whimsical and useful supplies for the crafter and artist. I realized that I enjoy collecting supplies and finding pretties just as much as I enjoy creating, so I figured I might as well share my pretties! Plus, it helps me justify buying more supplies if I tell myself I am going to stock my store with them. I like to enable myself.

Of course, the notions I am offering aren't just "off the shelf" kind of pretties. Muslin that has been tea stained and baked, hand cast clay flowers, vintage tags, mixed media kits.... I get excited about making something and make lots of it! Here are some bottlecap embellishments I made last week. I love them so!




I love these little embellishments. I used these awesome 1940s vintage bottlecaps, and after I seal them, they have such a nice feel to them. I use them in my Art Tag Mixed Media Kits...




Here is an example of a finished tag:


Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Getting Ready...

Time is flying way too fast! This weekend I will be in Waterford, MI, for a Keepsakes Collection Folk Art and Craft show. This is my first Keepsakes show, and I am pretty excited. New creations, new venue... AND I have some fabulous display pieces I found at an estate sale that I can't wait to use! My sister went for a quick shop in the morning, and had to return to get the van - and me. Between us we filled the van, and that night we were happily perusing vintage ads and magazines from the turn of the century. What is it about faded yellow pages and quaint illustrations that are so fascinating? Not nearly as "glitzy" as ads today, I love the whimsical humor of the verbage, the faded patina of each weathered page...

I am almost awed that these humble little pages, despite their lack of glossy photos and fancy fonts, have survived for over a hundred years. It is these pages that catch my eye, not the carefully marketed and researched and produced advertisements that fill my contemporary magazines...

... and now I have a nice big pile to look at!